


Moonlight Drive

by Daisy1600



Category: Lucha Underground
Genre: Angst, Dark!Johnny turned back to Good!Johnny, Fluff, Friends to Lovers to Enemies and back to friends again, Gen, Hella sad with a happy ending, I love my sweet babies, Johnny is ashamed and sorry, M/M, Make Up, Post-slash/pre-slash, Puma can talk, Sadness, So..., This is what we all needed after s2, Whump, and I'm literally the most heartless person ever, but then it gets cute, did I mention Poom Poom's a saint?, i cried, its sad, past-friendship, past-relationship, so it's okay, who are madly in love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-12 01:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11151738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daisy1600/pseuds/Daisy1600
Summary: After winning the Trios Chamionship match against Puma and his team, Johnny stays at the Temple after hours in hopes of bumping into a certain someone he's neglected... and just plain been horrible to for so long. And in hopes of... apologizing?Things end up going a lot better than Mundo expected.





	Moonlight Drive

Over the course of the last eight or so months, Johnny had found himself crossing over into the shadows, the darkside of the Temple. He'd gotten a taste of what victory really tastes like. And let me tell you, it's terrible. It's bitter and scorches your throat, much like vomit when it's trying to claw its way up your throat after a bender.  
Sure, he got what he'd always wanted, gold. He won the Trios Championship match against Puma, Rey, and Dragon Azteca, but it felt horrible. All these months have felt horrible. Without Puma by his side -where he'd hoped he'd always be- life wasn't exactly good for Johnny. Yeah, he woke up, got out of bed every morning and went to the Temple to train for hours on end like any other Luchador in their circuit, only he did it in a daze. He was a zombie, doing horrible things to good people. And for what? Why did he do it? 

That's what Johnny always wondered. And he- he actually doesn't know why. It's almost as if he was under someone else's control, but he also... wasn't? All he did nowadays was lie and cheat, and he hated it. Every second of it. And he dearly missed his... best friend whom he turned on and betrayed time and time again. 

And so after the Trios Tag-Team Championship match he'd won, he stayed after hours at the Temple in hopes that maybe, just _maybe_ he'd bump into the Prince. Maybe even get in a couple of words before he got decked. 

So he sucked it all up and approached the younger fighter who sat alone in the locker room on a bench, head hung in shame at how badly he lost to his once... friend. Mundo hesitated, hiding behind a row of lockers and contemplating whether or not he wished to risk death in an attempt to... apologize? to the Luchador. Just as he was about to hightail it and run outta there Puma noticed his shadow. 

"Wait." Said the masked man. Johnny stopped in his tracks and slowly turned to face the Prince. "Why are you still here? Shouldn't you be out celebrating with the rest of your team?" he whispered, voice only cracking a little. 

Johnny, still not able to look his ex in the eye, stared down at the floor in shame. He came here with a mission... and now he wasn't so sure it was even worth it to try and make amends. Not that he even deserved a moment of the younger fighters time. 

"To-to say..." he trailed off, shuffling his feet and picking at the skin of his cuticles. It was so unlike Johnny to look -and be- so... unsure of himself. So unconfident. "Look, Puma... I-I know I don't deserve even a second of your time, but... I just wanted to apologize. To you. For being such an asshole for-" he cut himself off as a tear slid down his cheek and fell to the floor, never to be seen again. 

Puma looked on forward at the man he once called his best friend, his- No. He wouldn't dig up what's in the past. He looked at Johnny as the man silently cried, trying his best to hold it together and string together a coherent sentence. 

"I-I..." the long-haired man choked on a sob, hand reaching out for anything to stabilize his shaky legs. His fingers found purchase on a rusty locker handle and he gripped it tightly. It was a long time before he could get out another word. "I-I... I'm so, so, **so** sorry. And- and I know there's nothing I could ever say or do that could ever -and I mean **ever** \- justify what I did to you... but-" Johnny cut himself off again, only this time it was by choice. He felt he couldn't actually say anything else without it sounding like he's trying to justify the horrible, horrible things he's done. 

"John." Puma said, voice cracking and sounding as if it were painful to even say his name. "Just- We should talk." things haven't been easy since the young fighter's mentor and, well, guardian, Konnan was taken away from him- most likely dead. He lost both Johnny and Konnan within a few short months of each other. And it stung. It stung real bad. Left a hole in his heart where it used to be full of love and... life. 

Johnny was now sitting on the floor, haven slid down the lockers to thread his fingers through his long locks and pull hard. He shook and twitched and sobbed, wishing he could poof himself from existence. 

"C-can we?" asked the man sitting on the concrete floor. "Cause I-I don't t-think I-I e-even- deserve _t-this_." he gestured between to two of them with a shaky hand, looking broken as ever. 

Puma swallowed harshly, throat suddenly dry. "I want to talk... I want to know why?" The yellow-clad Luchador blinked, a single tear sliding down his cheek and causing the mask to stick to his face. The two fighters simply sat there staring at each other and breathing heavily for what felt like a millennia, but what couldn't have been longer than nine-hundred-ninety-nine years. 

The Prince was the first to break the long, heavy silence hanging in air. "Not here, though. Too gross." he paused to dab at his eye using the corner of his orange hued hoodie before continuing. "You feel up to a Moonlight Drive, John?" 

"Only if it doesn't involve hurting anyone." Johnny said drily. Puma smiled the slightest bit at that, slowly lifting himself from the bench and going over to his ex-friend and offering a hand. One that Johnny stared at for much too long, trying to decide whether or not he even deserved to be that close to the fighter. In the end, he excepted his ex's hand and allowing him to help him to his unsteady feet.  
He took a moment to relish the feeling of warmth that spread through his entire body before it was all taken away, Puma stuffing his hands in his hoodies pockets and walking out of the locker room ahead of the long-haired man. 

Puma exited the Temple without bothering to grab his gym bag or check to see if his ex was following him. Johnny had to run to catch up with him as they made it out into the open. It was cold, foggy and dangerous outside this time of night, and even though Johnny could most definitely fend for himself if need be, he didn't stray too far from the younger man as they walked toward the one car left in the parking lot. 

They soon arrived at the sleek black car, Johnny going around to the drivers side and unlocking the doors from the inside. Puma slowly, and without a trace of hesitance, opened the passengers side door, got in and buckled up beside his ex.

"So..." Johnny started, eyes finally looking his ex's way. "are we really gonna do this, Trev?" 

Puma rolled his eyes, words that would upset his ex balancing on the tip of his sharp tongue. "Just drive, Mundo." The masked man kept his eyes trained on the windshield as Johnny exited the parking lot, driving out onto the open road. The streets were completely empty this time of night. Well, aside from the trash littering the gutter and sidewalk, as well as the few stray plastic bags flowing in the wind and falling to the ground by the wheels of Johnny's car.

It took until they were a good ten minutes into their moonlit drive for someone to speak up. "Where am I even taking us, Trev?" asked Johnny, who was driving up a long, winding highway. 

"If we drive for another few of miles there's a nice peak we could park on." Puma replied, not at all phased by his ex's use of his name. They used to be quite... close, and Johnny often times called him by his real name when they weren't at the Temple, or when they _were_ and not too many people were around to potentially eavesdrop. 

"Mmm," The long-haired man hummed in reply. 

"Haven't called me that in a while, my name." 

Johnny dared to take his eyes off the road for a millisecond to glance over at his ex... friend. "Yeah, well we haven't exactly been on good terms or talked in a while. Not that that's at all your fault.. it's all on me. I take full blame." 

Puma stayed willingly silent for a couple of minutes, eyes looking out the window and watching the dreary scenery as they passed it by. "It hurt me real bad, John. The betrayal." he choked up a bit on that last bit and had to take a moment to get his breathing under control before continuing. "Especially after I lost him... Konnan. I had nobody. I _have_ nobody. I have nothing but a dingy, depressing apartment filled with shit that just- It's filled with reminders of him. Of what could've been, had I been a quicker thinker during mine and Mil's face-off."

Johnny placed a hand on his ex's back and lightly rubbed it, all the while silently praying he wouldn't shove him off. "It wasn't your-" Puma cut him off. 

"Both hands on the wheel, Mundo." Johnny slowly retracted his hand from the younger fighters back, selfishly allowing his fingertips to graze the bare skin of his neck before placing it back on the wheel where it should be. 

It was another quarter mile before they passed up a sign with reflective letters that read 'Makeout Point, 2 miles'. Johnny's eyes widened and for a second he contemplated driving off the side of the high-up road they were driving on. But alas, he... cared too much about the other man to do such a thing. _But you've crowbarred him and done much, much worse than drive him off a cliff in the past_ , said a voice in his head. A very annoying one that sounded very much like that of his own. 

"Makeout Point, huh?" he mumbled aloud, not at all expecting an answer from his ex clad in yellow and orange. 

"It's quiet... and the closest private spot I could think of." 

"Mhmm," Johnny hummed to himself. He'd noticed earlier how much Puma'd been messing with the part of his mask that touched his neck, but now he was full-on scratching and pulling on it to allow better air-flow and breathe easier. 

"You wanna... um, take that off?" 

Puma gave his ex a sidelong glance and ended up slowly unlacing the back of his mask. He carefully pulled it off and set it on his lap, finally letting out a long sigh of relief. What? It's not like Johnny's never... seen it all. They used to be **very** close. 

Soon, the window came rolling down and Puma's head was sticking out of it, a little smile on his face. One that you wouldn't have noticed had you not been watching him. Much like Johnny was doing... What? The road ahead was pretty much straight, no more winding paths to focus all your attention on.

The words _"you're too cute"_ had been on the tip of Mundo's tongue and he'd been about to let 'em fall before he quickly caught them and shoved those feelings deep within his empty shell of a body. He was no longer allowed to think or say those kinds of things about his ex. Not now, maybe not ever again. And that was... okay. It was okay that he could never again hold his hand and cuddle and kiss him. Because it was all his fault that their... partnership had been soiled. All that mattered anymore was that he had a chance to apologize and -not forget- but move past everything. It was okay if Puma never forgave all the awful things he did to him, all that mattered to Johnny was that he'd listen. Hear him out. 

They arrived at Makeout Point and parked a safe distance away from the edge of the cliff. The city lights were, as always, beautiful from where they'd parked. But they were only a distraction from the real problems they had to talk about. So Johnny turned off the engine and took the keys out, dropping them down into the cup holder and turning to face his ex, as if to say "you have my full attention,".

"So, do Rey or Azteca know you're here?" 

Puma glanced his ex's way for a moment, traces of a playful gleam in his captivating brown eyes. "No. God no, Johnny. Rey'd rather keep me locked up in a cell for a thousand years than let me to see _you_." 

Johnny may or may not have flinched at the other mans words. Even though there was no trace of anger or accuse behind them. "Yeah, I bet. Sounds like something I'd do if I were in his shoes." 

"Look- John..." Puma trailed off. "I came here for answers, and I want them. Why'd you... How could you crowbar me? That could've ended my career if I'd sustained a major concussion. And yet you did it anyway." a single tear slid down the tanned mans skin and Johnny wished oh so badly that he could've reached across and wiped it away. Only he couldn't do that type of thing anymore and had to watch as it fell down onto the leather upholstery of his car seats, just sitting there, as it had nothing to soak into. 

"I-I don't know..." Johnny swallowed the lump in his throat. 

"You have to do a lot better than that if you want to keep me around, John." 

He stared into those tear-filled Bambi-eyes of Puma's and melted into a big pile of goo. A pile of guilt-ridden goo, that is. "I don't know.. I've spent my whole career trying to make it to the top, and constantly failing cause I was too damn nice. I've always heard the shouts and talk about me being number two, never number one. Always being so close to being great, but never being enough. All the voices began to, uh, influence me? I suppose...

And it all just got to be too much and I-I... I saw the chance to finally get that gold, and I ran with it. Right into the side of your head... Please -before you say anything- **please** just know that I'm not trying to excuse anything I've done to you, or anybody else, for that matter. I'm merely here to explain my side of the story and apologize. I don't expect nor do I deserve anything else but your ears." 

Puma nodded, tears now flowing freely from his beautiful eyes and  
down his cheeks. Here this kind, sweet man is, listening to what Johnny has to say without showing even a single a trace judgment. Johnny doesn't nor has he ever deserved him. Puma deserves someone who'll love him and treat him right. Not some nasty, horrible man with a devil-may-care attitude. Or at least that's the side of himself he chose to share with the rest of the world. It wasn't the real Johnny the younger fighter once knew.  
The real Johnny was sweet, kind, and most of all, genuine. Puma'd gotten to know him really well during his first few months at the Temple. They even began- No. All he knew was that the long-haired man began to slowly but surely change during his first year at the underground fighting ring. Almost as if he had been slipping through his fingers like water through hair in the shower over the course of eight painful months. 

"W-what about everything else? W-why'd you team up with T-Taya, P-P-PJ, and Jack?" the kids bottom lip quivered as past memories were being dredged up and images of getting a crowbar to the side of the head flashed past and he continued to cry some more. 

Johnny lifted a hand to wipe away his ex's tears but stopped himself at the last second. Puma wiped away his own tears using the sleeve of his sweater. The orange Aztec-y looking one that Johnny once upon a time told him how adorable he looked in. 

"Cause... I'm an idiot. I saw that there were other horrible, sick, twisted bastards like me who wanted to cheat and cause others pain... so I joined 'em. Got rid of Fenix. Not proud of myself, really wish I got it under control sooner. Not that I have... yet. We ended up coming out on top, winning gold, but I feel as if I lost everything in the process... it's not worth it without- without.. Nothing about me has been okay for the longest time, Trev. And no, I don't blame you for anything. It was all me, and the people around me influencing my decisions. But not you, okay? Please don't ever blame yourself for anything." Now it was Johnny's turn to cry and look away from his ex when he couldn't take the look of hurt and crippling sadness in his eyes that were once full of life, love, and happiness. None of which either of the two had anymore. Each just as empty and depressed as the other. 

"Okay." Was all Puma had to say before getting out of the car. Johnny, startled and worried for his ex's well being, followed him out the vehicle, relieved to see that he was merely sitting on the ground. He shut the car door and decided to join him in the dirt, making sure to leave a couple feet of space between them. 

The unmasked fighter in orange and yellow began to trace images in the dirt by his feet, not once bothering to look Johnny's way. And that was okay. It was okay for Puma to be mad at and or resent him for his actions these last few months. It was even okay if he hated his guts and never wanted to see him again. But it wasn't okay for Johnny to ignore the other mans needs and emotions, so he stayed seated beside him and didn't say anything. 

"Do you know why I'm giving you this?" Puma's voice startled Johnny, causing him to jump a little. "A chance to explain yourself.. to make amends?" 

The younger Luchador looked Mundo's way, and all the long-haired man wanted to do in that moment was hug the life outta him. He still loved him.. And yet he managed to do all those terrible things to him. 

"Because you're the sweetest, caring, most amazing person in the world?" the slightly agitated look he got in response got him  
to immediately drop it and get serious again. "I honestly don't know why you'd do this for me if not for the sake of knowing why I did what I did, and for that reason only." 

Puma's lips parted, a soft puff of air escaping them. "John-" 

"I will say it again, and you don't even need to say anything in response cause you don't owe me anything, okay?" Johnny took a deep breath, eyes trained on Puma's sparkling ones. The city lights were beautiful, but nothing compared to the sparkle in the Luchadores eyes in that moment. Even if the reason they looked like that were due to the tears he'd shed over him. "I'm so, so sorry Trevor. I'm sorry I started cheating in what should've been fair, one-on-one fights. I'm so very deeply sorry I hurt you, physically and emotionally. I'm sorry I joined a Trios Tag-Team in hopes of taking you off the map... I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you lost Konnan. And I'm... I'm ashamed of everything I've done to soil what we shared. What we could've had, but can't anymore. I-I'm s-so s-s-sorry." 

Johnny's words trailed off into loud sobs and Puma watched him curl into himself, tears and snot running down his face and soaking the hands he had pressed into said face. Puma couldn't take it much longer, and scooted over a foot, then another 'til they were mere inches apart from one another. He started out by hesitantly placing one arm around the long-haired mans back, slowly pulling him closer until his forehead touched his sweater-clad shoulder. The other then arm came up to encircle Mundo's back, meaning that Puma was... hugging him. Even going so far as to place a hand on the back of his head and thread his fingers through the long mane of hair that was awaiting his loving touch. 

After the initial shock had worn off, Johnny placed his hands on his ex's back and just kinda let 'em rest there for a moment before his hands were clutching at the fabric of the Prince's soft sweater, blunt fingernails digging into his back and pulling him impossibly closer as he continued to sob into his shoulder. Johnny hadn't a clue why Puma was going so far as to give him this type of affection, but he certainly wasn't complaining or moving away anytime soon. 

"Hey, Johnny?" 

"Y-yeah?" 

Puma continued carding fingers through the other fighters hair, untangling a knot ever so  
often. "Are you... are you planning on getting better?" 

Johnny's fingers flexed in the fabric of his hoodie, holding it just a little tighter than before. "I-I want to..."

"I need more than that, John. It's all or nothing for me. Either you get your act together or you never speak to me again." Puma pulled out of the hug, hands holding the other fighter less than an arms length away, but still far enough away to easily be able to look him in the eye. "Which is it? Will you stay and fight for this-" he gestured between them. "or move on without me?" 

Johnny tongue darted out, moistening his suddenly dry lips. He glanced from Puma's eyes down to his lips and back again. They had once upon a time been close enough to... to give it all to one another. Puma's disclosed everything from his family situation -or lack thereof-, to his real name, his true identity, his _voice_ , and his body. 

The true impact of what this could mean for their future hit him like a crowbar to the side of the head, forcing him to snap out of his daze and save their... friendship? Having Puma back in his life at all would be the greatest, most incredible feat. More incredible and amazing than any old championship belt could ever be. 

"I'll do anything for you, Trevor. I'll go to therapy and take whatever medication they prescribe me if that's what it takes to have you back in my life at all." Johnny smiled through the tears, now leaning his forehead against that of his ex's. "God, I missed you." he took a shuddering breath, hands on the other's head, holding him in place. 

"Do you really, truly mean it? Cause if you ever -and I mean **ever** cross me again, I'm hauling ass to Flor- A foreign country." 

"I'd kiss on it, but I know I don't deserve it." Johnny chuckled, eyes crinkling slightly at the sides and showing his true age. "Yes, I... I promise." 

Puma lifted a hand from the others body only to bring it to his teary eyes and dab at them. Johnny held his hand in place with his own, then pressed a kiss to the palm of it and folded it shut, now holding it between both of his own. He kissed it again, and again, and again until the darker skinned man was smiling and giggling into the beautiful night sky. 

"Friends?" Puma offered after his laughter had settled down. 

Johnny nodded, still holding the younger's hand between both of his own. "Does this mean you.. forgive me?..." his smile dropped into a look of seriousness. He now looked hesitant and uneasy. Almost as if he felt he didn't deserve any of what was happening. And that was exactly it, he was now doubting his worth. Doubting Puma's judgment. Was it right of him to... accept Puma's offer of friendship? Did he want to risk putting the younger through another ordeal? 

"I don't- I'm gonna need some time to process and heal from all this, John. But there's no way I could do that without you by my side. So here I am, offering my friendship to you. Will you be my friend, Johnny?" Puma searched the other mans eyes for any trace of reluctance or hesitancy, and was glad to find there was none of the sort. There was only the look of conviction that there was hope for the future. Their future. 

"Yes, Trevor. I will be your... friend." It may've stung just the slightest bit to say those words, but it was all for the best. If they were to build up enough trust to get back together, they'd have to first build their friendship from the ground up. 

Johnny pulled his friend back into a hug, holding him tight and pressing a kiss to his exposed forehead. 

Puma hadn't forgiven him yet, nor had he wanted to jump right back into a romantic relationship. And that was okay. 

They were okay.


End file.
